Enterprise Awards

Student awards are open only to students currently enrolled in the Enterprise Program. Eligible individuals may be nominated for more than one category but can only receive one award in a given year. Past recipients are not eligible to receive awards for two years. (Example: a 2018 recipient is eligible again in 2020). Please see the award descriptions for additional award- specific eligibility criteria.

Nominators should prepare a letter of nomination, highlighting specific and relevant examples that support the given award criteria. Nomination letters must be no more than two single-spaced pages (less than 1,000 words).

Nominators can collect up to three letters of support from others to strengthen their nomination. Support letters should be no longer than one single-spaced page each (less than 500 words).

Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Nominations received after the deadline will not be considered.

An awards committee comprised of faculty and staff involved in the Enterprise Program will review the nominations, and winners will be selected based on how well the nomination supports the given award criteria.

Award recipients will receive a framed award certificate, lapel pin, and $100 cash prize (sponsors will receive a University memento in lieu of cash). All nominees will be recognized, and awards will be presented at the conclusion of the 2025 Design Expo on Tuesday April 15, 2025, beginning at 3:30pm in the Rozsa Center for Performing Arts.

• Open to students currently enrolled in, and who hold an official leadership position within, their enterprise
• Inspires and motivates others in support of their enterprise goals and objectives
• Seeks opportunities to mentor others in the enterprise
• Leads by example and demonstrates personal accountability for meeting enterprise goals
• Responds well under pressure

• Open to students currently enrolled in Enterprise who joined an enterprise in the current academic year
• Has successfully integrated into the enterprise’s culture and organizational structure
• Shows initiative by actively seeking out tasks and project work
• Has made meaningful contributions to the team’s goals and objectives in a short time

• Open to any student who is currently enrolled in Enterprise
• Actively spearheads an innovation that improves their enterprise in some way – operational efficiency, a technical solution, an organizational improvement, etc.
• Engages in collaborative problem solving as a member of their enterprise
• Thinks “outside the box”

• Open to faculty and staff who serve as official advisors of enterprises (e.g. instructors of ENT project courses) and nominated by a student from their enterprise
• Creates a positive and motivating environment within the enterprise
• Actively seeks to foster student leadership and ownership within their enterprise
• Shows a personal commitment to student learning, development, and success
• Serves as a mentor or coach – “guides instructs”
• Demonstrates a balanced advising approach – actively engaged, but does not micromanage

• Open to any individual(s) who serve(s) as an external sponsor of enterprise projects, nominated by an enterprise
• Provides regular and active engagement with the enterprise in support of the sponsored project(s)
• Shows a personal commitment to student education and the enterprise’s success
• Demonstrates a balanced approach as a sponsor – the ability to serve as both a project client/stakeholder as well as a professional mentor

• Open to any faculty, staff, or stakeholder external to an enterprise and who is NOT the team’s primary advisor or project sponsor, nominated by an enterprise
• Someone who helped your team accomplish a goal, work through a particular challenge, learn more about a specific topic or technology, etc.
• This individual’s support was perceived by your team as going “above and beyond” their normal responsibilities
• This individual’s involvement and support had a meaningful impact on your enterprise’s success and learning

• Open to instructors of ENT course modules taught in the past three academic semesters
• Demonstrates effective teaching in support of student learning
• Connects the learning in their module with enterprise project work and/or with knowledge and skills important for early career success
• Inspired or motivated you to learn more about the topics covered in their module